1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that receives a color image and transfers the received image to another apparatus, a control method thereof, and a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, with fax communication, a transmission source telephone number, an F-code, a password and the like are handled as part of the fax communication procedure. This information is received and decoded by a transfer source apparatus. The transfer source apparatus checks the received transmission source telephone number, F-code and password with the transfer setting content set in the transfer source apparatus, and transfers a fax image to the transfer destination according to the check result. Further, with network communication utilizing Internet technology or the like, the communication data includes a transfer instruction command, transfer source information and transfer destination information. This information is received and decoded by the transfer source apparatus. The transfer source apparatus transfers the image data to a transfer destination in accordance with the instruction command. FIG. 10 shows the flow of data when transferring image data.
In FIG. 10, color image data 1008 and monochrome image data 1007 are transmitted via a communication line 1006 that includes a public line PSTN 1004 and a network 1005, and received by a transfer source apparatus 1001. The transfer source apparatus 1001 transfers the image data to a transfer destination apparatus A 1002 or a transfer destination apparatus B 1003 via a communication line 1009, according to the above transfer settings and transfer instruction command.
In the case where the communication image is a color image and the transfer source apparatus has the capability to receive and print color images, color image data will be transmitted by fax or over the network. However, the transfer destination apparatus does not always have the capability to receive or the capability to print color images. That is, the transfer destination apparatus may only be able to receive monochrome images. Or the transfer source apparatus may only be able to print in monochrome, despite having the capability to receive color images.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-217545 proposes a technique for receiving a color image and printing in monochrome after converting the color image to monochrome in the case where the received data is a color image. Further, in this document, a technique is proposed for holding the received color image in a memory and outputting the color image if instructed by a user. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-69837, a technique is proposed for judging, as a procedure prior to communication, whether the transmission destination can receive a color image, in the case where the received data is a color image, and converting the color image to a monochrome image and transmitting the monochrome image if reception of a color image is not permitted.
FIG. 11 shows an example in which the configuration of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-217545 is applied to the case where a color image is transferred to another apparatus from an apparatus capable of receiving color images. In this case, the transfer source apparatus 1001 converts the color image to a monochrome image regardless of the capability of the transfer destination apparatus A 1002 and the transfer destination apparatus B 1003, and transfers the monochrome image. The transfer destination apparatuses A 1002 and B 1003 thereby output monochrome printed materials 1101, 1102, 1103 and 1104 irrespective of the type (color image, monochrome image) of source image. The transfer source apparatus 1001 saves all color images in case a color image printing request is notified later. Consequently, with Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-217545, unnecessary monochrome images get output even though the user wants a color image.
FIG. 12 shows an example in which the configuration of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-69837 is applied to the case where a color image is transferred from an apparatus capable of receiving color images to another apparatus. First, on receiving color image data, the transfer source apparatus 1001 checks the capability of the transfer destination apparatus A 1002 and the transfer destination apparatus B 1003. Here, since color printing is not available in the transfer destination apparatus A 1002, the transfer source apparatus 1001 implements monochrome conversion on the color image data 1008 and transfers a monochrome image. On the other hand, if monochrome image data 1007 is received, the transfer source apparatus 1001 transfers the monochrome image as is. The transfer destination apparatus A 1002 thereby outputs monochrome printed materials 1201 and 1202 irrespective of the type of source image.
On the other hand, since color printing is available in the transfer destination apparatus B 1003, the transfer source apparatus 1001 transfers the color image as is with respect to the color image data 1008, and transfers the monochrome image as is with respect to the monochrome image data 1007. The transfer destination apparatus B 1003 thereby outputs color printed material 1204 if the source image is the color image data 1008, and outputs monochrome printed material 1203 if the source image is the monochrome image data 1007.
Accordingly, with Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-69837, a case arises where only monochrome printing can be executed with respect to the user of the transfer destination apparatus A 1002, despite the source image being color. Further, in the case where the user of the transfer destination apparatus B 1003 wants a monochrome image in order to save on toner even though the source image is a color image, color printing will be executed rather than the desired monochrome printing. Thus, with conventional techniques, there is limited room for the end user to select the type of print output desired relative to the type of source image, since the final printed material is output based on an automatic judgment by the respective apparatus.